International and regional instruments promoting gender equality in nationality laws Many international legal instruments and regional declarations uphold the right of citizens to pass their nationality to their children regardless of the parent’s gender. International Instruments Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 2(1). States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child’s or his or her parent’s or legal guardian’s race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status. Article 7 (1). The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents. 14 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Article 2. States Parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women Article 9(2). States Parties shall grant women equal rights with men with respect to the nationality of their children. G E N D E R D I S C R I M I N AT I O N A N D C H I L D H O O D S TAT E L E S S N E S S